Chigwenya Cynthia

Cynthia Chigwenya is a political researcher and pracademic with experience in international policymaking. Her advocacy is grounded in research, having served at think tanks, and published on topical issues including, Europe-Africa relations, transcontinental infrastructure and climate finance in EMEs. She holds a B.Soc.Sci in Criminology and International Studies, a BA (Hons) and MA in Development Studies and an MPhil in Social Policy. Cynthia specialised on transitional justice and reconstruction in post-genocide Rwanda and conflict mediation in South Sudan. She is a TEDx speaker, recognised as a MIPAD (Most Influential People of African Descent) Global 100 under 40 awardee in politics and governance; and has spoken at various symposia, including the EU-AU Summit and the BRICS Roundtable Dialogue on financing clean technologies. In May 2023, she briefed the 9315th Meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on futureproofing trust for peacebuilding. Cynthia has worked with several organisations promoting SDGs and the Agenda 2063 in Africa, she currently serves as the African Union’s Youth Ambassador for Peace for Southern Africa and works as a Programme Coordinator for Political Dialogue in Sub-Saharan Africa at Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. She has previously held research positions in the South African Parliament and at the National Genocide Commission in Rwanda.